1 Samuel 17:42 (GNV)

Passage

Now when the Philistim looked about and saw Dauid, he disdeined him: for he was but yong, ruddie, and of a comely face.

Nearby Context

1 Samuel 17:40 Then tooke he his staffe in his hand, and chose him fiue smoothe stones out of a brooke, and put them in his shepheards bagge or skrippe, and his sling was in his hand, and he drewe neere to the Philistim.

1 Samuel 17:41 And the Philistim came and drew neere vnto Dauid, and the man that bare the shielde went before him.

1 Samuel 17:42 Now when the Philistim looked about and saw Dauid, he disdeined him: for he was but yong, ruddie, and of a comely face.

1 Samuel 17:43 And the Philistim sayde vnto Dauid, Am I a dog, that thou commest to me with staues? And the Philistim cursed Dauid by his gods.

1 Samuel 17:44 And the Philistim sayd to Dauid, Come to me, and I will giue thy flesh vnto the foules of the heauen, and to the beastes of the field.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "philistim", "looked", "dauid", "disdeined", "yong", "ruddie", "comely", and "face". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "philistim" and "looked", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 41's "And the Philistim came and drew neere..." into verse 43's "And the Philistim sayde vnto Dauid Am...", so "philistim" and "looked" belong inside that flow. In 1 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "philistim" and "looked" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.